MANHATTAN - It's been quite a while since Logan Dold felt nervous on a football field.

Monday

Aug 11, 2008 at 12:01 AMAug 11, 2008 at 6:00 PM

Harold Bechard - The Hutchinson News - hbechard@hutchnews.com

After all, when you've run for the second most yards in Kansas high school history - 7,144, to be exact - and scored 109 touchdowns, what's there to get nervous about?

Well, the 6-foot, 195-pound Dold isn't in high school anymore. And despite being recruited out of Garden Plain High School as a safety, Dold has spent the first week of practice at Kansas State trying to avoid tackles, not make them.

And he's doing a pretty darn good job of it. K-State coach Ron Prince has had nothing but praise for Dold, who was named the 2007 Area Offensive Player of the Year by The News.

"Logan Dold has had a terrific camp so far," Prince said at the team's media day on Saturday. "I know a lot of people were surprised that we mentioned him as a runner, but no one has a better resume for being a runner and being a success at that than Logan. He is moving up the depth chart every single day and doing a real fine job."

Pretty heady stuff for a young man who is less than three months removed from his high school graduation. But Dold is staying humble and taking it all in stride.

And, as far as being nervous, well, it's a feeling Dold didn't experience that often in helping lead Garden Plain to the Class 3A state championship in 2007. Playing quarterback and running back on offense, Dold combined for 3,175 yards of total offense and accounted for 56 touchdowns.

But this isn't the Central Plains League any more. Dold is fully aware of that.

"It's something I'm not used to, it's a big-time commitment," Dold said. "Just the overall speed and being surrounded by all these players is overwhelming at times, but I think it's going to be worth it. There are great players everywhere and it's a lot different than I'm used to."

The running back position would have to be considered an area of concern for the Wildcats heading into the 2008 season. James Johnson (1,106 yards) is gone and junior Leon Patton (390 yards) is currently not practicing with the team.

Keithen Valentine, a junior walk-on, is currently atop the depth chart, with Dold battling a pair of freshman redshirts - Justin Woods and Dee Bell - for playing time. It's a situation Dold wasn't sure he'd be in just a few days into his college career.

"I'm not used to being nervous at practice, but coming out here is a lot different," he said. "I was definitely nervous and a little overwhelmed. Every day I step on the field, I'm surrounded by great players. It's something I'm not used to. The overall speed of everything is so much different.

"I've just been coming out for practice and doing what I can do, whether it's at running back or on special teams. I'm just trying to find my role, whether it's offense, special teams or both."

But Dold is also confident enough in his ability to believe he has a chance to get on the field this season as a true freshman.

"As of now, I'm fighting for a position, so that's what I plan on doing," he said. 'It's definitely something I wanted to strive for. I didn't know whether it would happen or not, but it was something I wanted to work for."

Dold has impressed the coaching staff and his teammates with his play. He broke a couple long runs for touchdowns in practice last week.

"It was just a couple plays here and there," he said. "It's tough, but as long as you do what the coaches teach you and tell you where to run, it makes it a lot easier."

His teammates have taken notice.

"He's a kid I didn't know anything about, but he's really been impressive to me," said senior center Jordan Bedore.

It's the kind of performances Garden Plain football fans came to expect during the four years Dold was on the high school varsity. Now, he's taken things to the next level.

"It's hard to be a freshman and figure out all the things we are doing, but he seems to be picking it up a lot," Prince said. "He has the poise and attitude that many of the good players have, so we are very optimistic for him."

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